Friday, 26 September 2008

I have own this early Heuer chronograph for some years now, but have not known much about it. When I put on a NOS pigskin-strap with the correct vintage look last week I deceided to do some research.

The movement is an early Valjoux 22, with an unsigned bridge. This is no problem, several early Heuers have unsigned movements. From 1945, Heuer signed all movements.

In a 1938 Heuer catalogue I found the movement listed as ref. 349.

In a 1945 Heuer catalogue I found the right case. There's only on problem, they are listed as steel case, and have wrong ref. number. But over the three there is listed a ref.349 with Nickel Case - steel back. No picture. This matches my chronograph, Val.22 and Nickel Case, steel caseback. My watch has the same shape of the case, pushers and crown.

I think I have a match, and that this is a Ref.349 dated from somewhere between 1938 to the mid 1940's.

Friday, 12 September 2008

I have had this lovely golden Heuer dial and movement for some time now. I even have the original gold duaphine hands and crown. What I need is a Heuer case for a Landeron 13. It would be great to put this movement in a proper Heuer case again. It's a Landeron 13 and is correctly signed with the Heuer logo and production number on the main bridge. The production number is 400817, and the watch is most likely from the first half of the 1940's due to the "small" style Heuer logo used on in the 1930's-40's.

Wednesday, 3 September 2008

This is the rarely seen ref. 3641 from 1968/69. It was a cheaper alternative to the more famous Carrera model, and have a chrome case instead of stainless steel. The movement, valjoux 92, and the hands, are the same as on the Carrera.

A nice and cheaper alternative to a late 1960s Heuer Carrera. It's even rarer. Most of the ones I have seen have the name of a retailer on the lower part of the dial. Mine has Meister, a Sviss retailer. I have also seen the name Gubelin on others.